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| THE COLONY NEWS | JULY 2024 | 13 The HOA Board recently approved a $2,500 plan initiated by the LAC to encourage a resident Barn Owl population for a nature- based rabbit and rodent control within The Colony. Weighing only 1 ½ lbs., Barn Owls hunt from dusk to dawn, feeding on small prey that they can kill and carry, such as rats and very small rabbits, not our pets. Adult Barn Owls can consume 1,000 rodents per year (three times that while feeding owlets). The four Barn Owl boxes were installed in two locations north of Colony Drive on June 6. Why two boxes per location? The male Barn Owl leaves the nest during hatching season and occupies the higher box. The male becomes the sole hunter, food supplier, and protector of the female and her owlets. After two to three months of feeding, the owlets will take f light and hunt alone. We have a mating pair of Great Horned Owls that temporarily occupied a Red-Shouldered Hawk nest in a large eucalyptus tree located in the middle of the 7th fairway. You can observe this large nest by standing near the stop sign at Colony Drive and Via Havre near the Cal Oaks gate. Look down at the golf course and spot the large eucalyptus tree with a sign on it, then look straight up and to a large limb on the left side of the tree. The owls took over the hawk's nest early February, doubled its size, and attempted to hatch an owlet. Unfortunately, crows likely ate the eggs, as I came across broken remnants along Colony Drive in late March. The hawks are now back in the expanded nest. The Great Horned Owls remain roosting in the 7th fairway. In the middle of the night, you can still hear their deep, loud, "hoo, hoo, hoot," as they call out to each other. In California, the Great Horned Owl and Barn Owls cohabitate in the same areas, helping communities reduce rodent population the natural way. I encourage each of you to look for these amazing owls at dusk and listen for them at night. LANDSCAPE ADVISORY By Bruce Copeland, LAC member ACCESS CONTROL & SAFETY Security Statistics For May, there were a total of 22,855 gate entries recorded consisting of guests, recreational vehicles, vendors, and golfers. Allied Security performed 12 property/residence checks and issued 30 citations for stop sign violations and 15 speeding citations. There were 21 medical, fire, and police incidents. Allied cited 94 residents for various resident parking violations and guest/vendor violations and 38 residents were cited for putting trash cans out too early and/ or not putting them away. There were 30 garage doors found to be open and Allied made calls to each resident to advise them to close their garage doors. Allied responded to 69 miscellaneous incidents related to deceased residents, dogs (barking, lost, off leash), guests on property without resident, signage (not allowed), solicitors, gate strikes/tailgaters, suspicious activity, trespassers, vehicle accidents, welfare checks, broken/burst water lines. One of the nicest and most used amenities in The Colony is our beautiful and refreshing swimming pool and spas. It is an area that is enjoyed by so many and there are many elements in place to keep it a safe area. The first line of safety is to keep the gate closed after entering and leaving the pool area. Do not prop open the gate, everyone needs to use their key. If you lose your key, please go to the office and get a replacement. For safety reasons there is no diving, running or horseplay in or out of the pool. Swimsuits are not allowed in the Clubhouse except to use the locker rooms by the rear entrance. For a complete list of the pool rules you can find them in Rules and Regulations Article 2: Pool and Spa Rules. If you don't have a copy, one is available in the office at the Clubhouse. Recently some changes were made to a rule pertaining to beverage containers as follows: A closed metal or plastic, shatterproof container with an attached lid, must be used poolside. Disposable containers (e.g., water bottles and removable lids) are not allowed within 5 feet of the pool area. Keep the Pool Gate Closed by Kathleen Ricketts, Access Control & Safety Member Barn Owl

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